South Africa in 60 seconds.
The Republic of South Africa:
Area: 1.23 million sq km, the size of France and Spain; five times the size of the UK.
Population: 43.8 million and in the UK 59 million.
Capital City: Pretoria (official) and Cape Town (legislative).
People: 77% black, 11% white and 9% coloured, the local description for people of mixed African, Asian and white descent. Language: There are 11 officially recognised languages. Zulu, Xhosa, English and Afrikaans are examples.
Religion: Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and traditional religions.
Government: Republic and member of the British Commonwealth.
Head of State: Thabo Mbeki President.
Major Trading Partners: UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, USA.
And
An icon of Africa and the World; Nelson Mandela. Imprisoned by apartheid in 1963, released in 1990, president in 1994.
Seventy percent of Africas electricity is generated in South Africa.
Twenty percent of the Worlds gold is mined here.
Today South Africa is third in diamond production in terms of value. One of South Africa's most famous mines, the Kimberley Mine, once produced almost all the World's diamonds, about 95 percent.
Fossilized footprints discovered here are over 100,000 years old.
The Worlds first wildlife conservation area was the Kruger Park.
South Africa is home to the largest land mammal (the elephant), the smallest mammal (a shrew) and the fastest mammal (the cheetah) in the world.
In 1967 the first heart transplant was performed in Cape Town.
The World's biggest hospital is the the Chris Hani Hospital in Soweto.
There are 600,000 South Africans in the UK.
A Robot here is traffic light in the UK.
When its summer in South Africa, it's winter in Europe.
In 2004 South African house prices increased by 22,7% year-on-year to claim the number one spot in the 'Worldwide House Price Indices'.
And theres more, think
a new progressive democracy, a new awareness of African identity, Zulus, blue skies, sea, beaches, wildlife game parks, Table Mountain, the flora, vineyards, sport, music, braai (barbecues). Oh, and the lights work as well.
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